Data Driven: Ball State

Each week after Purdue football games, we’ll take a closer look back at the game through PFF data and analytics. Today, Purdue 31, Ball State 0.

(Editor’s note: PFF data is just one organization’s interpretation of the happenings from Saturday’s game. It is not to be taken as gospel).

OFFENSE

Offensive snap counts:

Bakyne Coly all 60
Ethan Trent all 60
Joey Tanona all 60
Bradyn Joiner 57
Ryan Browne 50
Jalen St. John 50
Devin Mockobee 40
Nitro Tuggle 38
Michael Jackson III 38
Arhmad Branch 28
Rico Walker 23
Corey Smith 22
EJ Horton Jr. 22
Jesse Watson 21
George Burhenn 16
Christian Moore 15
Hank Purvis 13
Christian Earls 11
Antonio Harris 10
Malachi Singleton 10
Malachi Thomas 8
Jaheim Merriweather 3
Jalil Hall 2
Jude McCoskey 2

Grades and notes:

• Dazzling grades for Arhmad Branch and Michael Jackson III as the pair combined for nine receptions, 173 yards and two touchdowns
• Ryan Browne turned in a very nice grade, though it did not reach the elite score he earned in his performance at Illinois a season ago
• Top honors on the offensive line went to Bradyn Joiner, though the numbers left much to be desired up front
• Mediocre grades came back for most of the offensive line, as the pass blocking numbers were better than the run blocking numbers, matching the “eye test”
• Purdue’s lowest-graded offensive player? George Burhenn, who only saw 16 snaps as he returns to full health following a spring injury

Ryan Browne’s passing chart:

• Clean: 13-18, 213 yards, TD
• Under pressure: 5-8, 98 yards, TD
• Not blitzed: 12-18, 223 yards, TD
• Blitzed: 6-8, 88 yards, TD
• Play action: 10-14, 184 yards, 2 TD (great grade)
• No play action: 8-12, 127 yards
• Screen: 4-4, 71 yards
• No screen: 14-22, 240 yards, 2 TD

• Browne’s average depth of target: 12.7 yards, reflective of Purdue looking to push the ball downfield. Purdue did not stop throwing the ball late, either, once the game was decided. It sure looked like the Boilermakers wanted live reps
• Whether pressured, blitzed, clean, Browne graded well in every area of the passing game
• Two “big-time throws” with zero “turnover-worthy throws” for Browne. Purdue’s coaching staff was thrilled with no turnovers on the day.
• Browne’s best grade came on passes 10-19 yards downfield, where he returned an elite grade
• Interesting that 15 of Browne’s 29 dropbacks came with play action. How much of that was true RPO versus play action?

Running game:

• Adjusting for sack yardage, Purdue ran for 3.5 yards per carry. With a veteran group on the offensive line and a multidimensional rushing approach, Purdue likely hoped for better against an outmatched opponent
• 89 of Purdue’s 102 rushing yards came after contact, a rather high number given the matchup
• Purdue forced eight missed tackles on the afternoon, six by Mockobee
• 16 of Purdue’s 27 designed runs went toward the perimeter
• One fumble: Mockobee, which went out of bounds as Purdue retained possession

DEFENSE

Defensive snap counts:

Tahj Ra-El 49
Mani Powell 47
Hudauri Hines 45
An’Darius Coffey 41
Tony Grimes 39
Charles Correa 36
Trey Smith 33
Myles Slusher 33
CJ Madden 31
TJ Lindsey 26
Jamarrion Harkless 25
Ryan Turner 22
CJ Nunnally IV 20
Breylon Charles 20
Crew Wakley 20
Demeco Kennedy 19
Smiley Bradford 18
Ian Jeffries 16
Breeon Ishmail 15
Alex Sanford Jr. 12
Jamarius Dinkins 7
Richard Toney Jr. 5
Sanders Ellis 4

Grades and notes:

• Top honors went to a trio of defensive linemen on limited snaps: Demeco Kennedy, Chops Harkless and TJ Lindsey
• Welcome to week one: 15 missed tackles for Purdue, a common occurrence in season openers. Four for An’Darius Coffey, three for Mani Powell. Keep an eye on this stat moving forward
• Purdue totaled 12 hurries, an impressive number given how little Ball State looked to push the ball downfield
• The eye test and the PFF numbers didn’t quite line up for me on the linebackers. I liked what I saw from Correa and Powell, but their grades weren’t very good
• A nice grade for Hudauri Hines, the redshirt freshman who stuck around from the previous regime and started opposite Tony Grimes
• Very nice marks for safety Tahj Ra-El in the run game

Kiael Kelly’s passing chart

• Clean: 10-13, 81 yards
• Under pressure: 1-4, 5 yards
• Not blitzed: 8-13, 71 yards
• Blitzed: 3-4, 15 yards
• Play action: 2-4, 8 yards
• No play action: 9-13, 78 yards
• Screen: 7-8, 63 yards
• No screen: 4-9, 23 yards